Efforts are being made to make fishing rod handles, and particularly casting rods, as light as possible to facilitate manipulation thereof. Such handles conventionally have a recess towards the forward end thereof to receive the foot of a reel which is generally clamped in place by a threaded clamp member extending through a hole from the bottom of a handle. Particularly when the rod is made of plastic materials to minimize weight, the reel foot depression, and particularly the area of the clamping hole, produces a relatively weak section which limits its test strength. Another disadvantage in certain plastic handles resides in the difficulty in maintaining a firm grip unless roughened. Moreover, they can become uncomfortable to handle, particularly in cold weather.